Jordanna, I agree with everyone else who has praised you for sharing your pictures! You're looking great and healthy! It's nice to put a face with a name, too.

I made an awesome dinner tonight. I put a little olive oil in a pan with sliced zucchini and some garlic, sea salt and pepper. I added my new favorite Mrs. Dash seasoning Fiesta Lime, and some shrimp and more Mrs. Dash, and cooked it until it was done. WOW I felt like I was eating like a Queen!

I found some diet soda tonight, no caffeine, no carbs, no calories, no sodium, and sweetened with Splenda. I'm going to have one tonight. I'm not a big pop drinker so giving it up wasn't hard, but now that I "can't" have it, I want it. Stupid head gets in my way!!

Jordanna - congrats to you and I couldn't agree with you more. I try to think of today and this week as my goal. I will fail if I start saying oh my gosh how will I do this for weeks and months yet. So your plan of 10 pounds at a time is perfect. I really try to block out any thoughts beyond the next seven days. I don't know how I will do it in the future. But I do know I can do it for today.
Keep going Jordanna!

Libbyshims....isn't it fun??? I've been down this road a time or two and the smaller sizes were always the best part

Carlashera....I too haven't told many people. My mom knows as she is doing it with me. She doesn't have near as much as me to lose but it's still really nice to have someone who really understands and supports me. As for everyone else I just tell them I am really watching what I eat. Too many people critize or have their own nasty comments about diets like this. I don't need jealous negative people around me.

CinnamonSparkles....Thanks I've always tried to support friends and co-workers when it comes to their challanges and goals. I was shocked that it was such a big deal that I was trying to turn down a lunch that I didn't even know about until the morning It sucks when people seem to want to sabbotage you. Drives me crazy but I think I'm finally at a place where I can put me first and stand my ground. If that makes me the "office attitude" so be it.

Well, that's a wrap for day 5! Weigh in is on Saturday. I am really curious how this week will play out. I have been so good and the best part is, it has been SO easy. For all of you that have been on this for awhile, does it stay this easy? I've always found diets to be hard, I love sweets and anything bread/cake like...Carbs are probably my worst enemy but I'm not craving, or wishing or whimpering . I eat my IP pack, my veggies, my meat. I have yet to feel hungary....maybe it's the $$$. I can't quite pin point what it is but so far I really like it. Whether I still like it on Saturday remains to be seen

Lots of posts today. It was really fun reading about everyone's losses and seeing Jordanna pics. WOW. It's too bad we are all so far apart. It would be fun to have a clothing exchange as we shed the weight.
I have 2 girlfriends on the IP diet, so they know and one talks a lot, so I'm sure she has told people. I don't really care, it's just that I don't want to deal with comments and remarks as was discussed earlier. My hubby knows and is a great support. My son knows, but he is 20 and really not paying much attention to mom except that all his junk food is gone!!! LOL My parents, siblings and my daughter are all back east. I was supposed to go back this week, but started working for the census a couple weeks ago, so that isn't going to happen. I'm still hoping to make it in June, but if not it will be Sept. or Oct. None of them know about it, so it will really be fun. I am on this diet to lose weight, of course, but my cholesteral was really high(runs in the family) and that was also a major concern and consideration when deciding what to do. So, if I get a hard time about eating out or whatever, I'm just going to say that I am on a strict diet for medical reasons. Most of the time that will stop people from egging on....just try it, etc. AND it's the truth even if it wasn't for my high cholesteral.
Suppose to have my 3 week weigh in tomorrow morning. Right now we are getting freezing rain and it is a 30 mile trip, so that may get put off a day. We shall see. And yes, I'm excited for a weigh in, too, if you can believe it.

MuayThaiGoddess -
I read your all bold post just now and wanted to comment right away-

I have read that a magnesium deficiency could be to blame for the tingling feelings you are getting. Also, don't worry about the cornstarch or other ingredients in your medications - you are on them with a doctor's order, just like this diet.

I recently started taking this stuff called Calm - my clinic sold it to me. You can find it online too. It's raspberry-Lemon flavored and sweetened with stevia. It's an absorbable form of magnesium. I think you should try it. Magnesium is supposed to help with lots of things, absorbing calcium, sleeping (I have insomnia from pain or the pain meds).
The official name is : Natural Calm by Peter Gillham's Natural Vitality

The tingles are really scary because most of the time I think it's nerve pain. Going to my chiropractor to help my crooked back seems to help. I'll send you the link via personal message after this meeting (work!).

Hang in there! I hope you feel better!

wow- it sounds like we have alot in common sparkles- i have chronic pain- and have to wrestle with pain meds and horrible insomnia too- and the calm might be good for my anxiety. magnesium- i hadn't thought of that- i too go to a chiropractor- an uppercervical doctor actually because my neck was way messed up and causing (they THINK) my migraines, seizures, and all sorts of neurological problems- so i understand the fear- i will look into it!! thank you so much. and BTW i laughed out loud so hard about the bird that sounded like the alarm- you get a kudos for that- i think it was the fact you could specify the exact alarm system.

I don't drink diet soda normally -- I have been using it on this diet when I really want wine with friends and I'm sick of water and iced tea. Seems the splenda kind doesn't hurt my ketosis or weight loss but I am not having very much of it. Maybe 2 glasses a week. It really tastes like such a treat ... I consider it the lesser of 2 evils!
Also, the longer I go, the more I am limiting what IP foods
I order. I'm pretty much on the vanilla box drinks with an occasional bar or crispy cereal. I have a long way to go but
boy will I like phase 2 when you can have protein at lunch.
Otherwise, is this the best diet or what?? It's kind of a no brainer... and for busy people that is great. At the end of 5 weeks and no real cheats to speak of. Can't remember ANY diet where that was true and I think I have done them all!

Kangen water is ionized water that is electrically restructured and has tremendous hydration and antioxidant properities. it gives you so much energy- its AMAZING. and sooooooo GOOD FOR YOU. you should see if someone has a filter in your area where you could get the water alot of peeople let you get it for free- you think water is water- I did- but i was WRONG. google it

whew I am tired tonight- i went on a long fast walk with my son- almost an hour and a half- i usually gauge it that im walking almost as fast as i can before a jog and i can easily smoke a cigerette HAHA!(ppl usually say carry on a conversation...) anyway... ive been STARVING- i've gone on all IP packets to accelerate my weight loss and when i woke up this morning from yesterday i was down another 3.5 pounds- how on earth is that possible- i was making sure i had all my limbs.... but ill take it... ALSO THANK YOU whoever reminded me to eat my salt I KEEP FORGETTING THAT and i just downd a bunch of salt water- i think that might have helped yesterday= i had more enrgy during the day today but it just took a nose dive.

JORDANNA- WTG! what a difference in your face!!! so cool.

And to all you closet dieters I hear ya- I've told some- but i'm not bragging about it- my scale says im down 13 pounds in 9 days but the fact is NO ONE CAN TELL and that is more embarrassing than having ppl just think im fat... i think. well im harder on myself than others- but the figters at the gym- theyre all ADONUS'S so i definately look like Helga.

Anywho, Congrats on everyones WI'S AND NSV'S!! good job on the maple bars-- so cruel. Goodnight.

Wrinkles are like birthdays. We'll deal with them, considering the alternative. But here's a potential new option for keeping face creases away: sipping white tea.

According to a recent lab study, extracts in white tea exert an anti-inflammatory effect that slows the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers -- those super-supportive intracellular structures that skin needs to stay firm and wrinkle-free.

Put the Kettle On
Okay -- so that's what happened in a lab dish. But can drinking tea really fight wrinkles? Research in human skin will be required to confirm it. In the cell study, though, the wrinkle-fighting effects of white tea extracts showed lots of promise. White tea exhibited almost 90 percent more collagen- and elastin-protective activity than the control did.

I had my 3rd weigh in yesterday. Not great, but I'm okay with that. Down 1.6 pounds and 4.25 inches. My coach was very encouraging. She said that she sees this a lot. I had a big loss my first week (11.6 pounds). The second week I had a big inch loss (13 inches). The 3rd week my body is adjusting and resetting. She thought I would see another big loss next week. We'll see... She said a low pound and inch loss usually happens once a month. Have you all noticed that too? I'm not the least bit discouraged, which is nice and a change for me.

Good Job Stacerp. You gotta see that it is still a 5 lb. a week average loss. I don't think any of us expect to match our first week loss, except for me. Mine was less than 4 lb., so I am wanting to stay right with it. Headin out in about 1/2 hour to weigh in. I'll let you all know in a while.

Good Job Stacerp. You gotta see that it is still a 5 lb. a week average loss. I don't think any of us expect to match our first week loss, except for me. Mine was less than 4 lb., so I am wanting to stay right with it. Headin out in about 1/2 hour to weigh in. I'll let you all know in a while.

Have a good day everyone.

That is true, WyoSun. I didn't even take the time to think about it that way

Today is not off to a good start Only lost 2 pounds for my second weigh in, maybe it was the edamame and the fact that I had a restricted packet as my snack last night, I really wanted nachos, desperately, so instead of cheating, I used the nacho recipe for the crepes again. I figure at least way better than cheating, and I'll take the 2 lbs, but I think I lost those at the beginning of the week and nothing at the end. On to next week. And, has anyone had any weird reactions to the IP packets, for the past few days, I've had red dry skin around my eyes, I attributed it to switching eye drop brands for dry eye, but I switched back to the old one, and my eyelids got puffy, I have red dots on my face and my lips are puffy. I'm going to the doctor today, and want to make sure I have everything that I've changed that may have caused this in mind.
It's strange because I've never had allergies in my life, to anything except poison ivy, ever!!!!!

I'm still excited about IP and the 8 pounds total, but this red puffiness is not good, I need to find out what might be causing this so I can change it. Does anyone know if any IP ingredients are allergens in anyone?